Physicians experience two distinct and strikingly different phases of professional development. Phase 1 is defined by a highly structured and sequential pathway with ascending milestones. National organizations and educational institutions clearly articulate, monitor, and support development toward a defined endpoint: a competent physician.(1,2) Phase 2 begins immediately after training. Once physicians complete residency or fellowship, the formal scaffolding of curriculum, mentorship, and monitored progression gives way to a far more fragmented, self-directed model of development.
Recent work notes that medicine “lacks purposeful professional development once physicians have completed formalized graduate medical education,”(3) leaving most physicians without clear pathways or institutional frameworks for career-long growth. Continuing medical education (CME) largely remains focused on maintaining competence for licensure and certification. Continuing professional development (CPD) programs vary widely, often lack rigorous evaluation frameworks, and rarely provide the intentional developmental structure that characterized Phase 1.(4,5)
The Current Model’s Impact on Overall Physician Experience
Multiple levers are available to optimize the physician experience to attract, retain, and engage physicians successfully. One lever — formalized professional development programs — has been effective within the United States and globally. Research demonstrates that structured professional development improves retention of physicians and surgeons in rural areas and contributes to workforce stability.(6,7)
Recent surveys of U.S. health systems also highlight increasing attention to robust, structured physician development programs.(8) Unfortunately, because the typical framework for physician professional development is so unstructured and self-directed, this lever needs more robust attention.(3)
Here are three tactics health systems can use now to enhance physician professional development and optimize the physician experience:
1. Adopt a New Mindset and Model of Physician Career Development
Healthcare organizations need to let go of an outdated mental model: Once physicians complete training, they are a finished product. This mindset has long outlived its usefulness and is incompatible with modern healthcare. Clinical practice, regulatory guidelines, technology, care delivery models, and patient needs are evolving far more rapidly today.
Reframing development as continuous improvement — akin to how we view quality, safety, and operational reliability — articulates a positive and dynamic definition of physician career success: one that emphasizes learning agility and supports lifelong professional growth. Adopting this mindset enhances professional development as a legitimate, value-adding activity. Professional development is not maintaining the status quo or remediation. It is a core part of the physician role.
A new mindset also requires updating the professional development model. Instead of relying on a self-directed and less-systematic approach that characterizes the post-training landscape, systems can define longitudinal pathways that align with organizational and physician developmental needs, depending on role and career stage.(3)
2. Formalize and Invest in Professional Development Programs
Once organizations adopt a modern mindset about physician growth, the next step is to operationalize that mindset through formalized and well-resourced programs. Many health systems rely on a patchwork of CME, sporadic workshops, or generic leadership courses. These offerings rarely provide the structured, longitudinal development that physicians experienced during training and still need throughout their careers.
A more intentional approach begins with clarity. Health systems must determine what type of professional development model aligns with their strategic priorities and intersects with physicians’ current and emerging needs. Early-career physicians often need support navigating practice management and clinical efficiency,(9,10) while mid-career physicians may be exploring leadership pathways or expanded academic roles.(11)
Equally important is designing programs with defined expectations, developmental milestones, and clear pathways. Cohort-based experiences, mentorship frameworks, competency-based models, and project-based learning recreate the scaffolding that supports meaningful development. These structures make it easier for organizations to articulate what successful progression looks like and to demonstrate meaningful investment in physician growth.
Structure alone, however, is insufficient without adequate resourcing. Simply offering generic corporate online modules is unlikely to engage physicians or shift performance. Programs need skilled faculty, protected time allocation, and institutional support to deliver high-quality, relevant learning. When development programs are well-designed, tailored to physician roles, and resourced appropriately, they not only enhance individual capability, but also strengthen organizational culture, trust, and long-term retention.
3. Track and Adapt Professional Development to Ensure High Quality and Relevance
Creating development programs is not the endpoint; systems must ensure these programs remain effective, valuable, and aligned with evolving needs. This requires building feedback loops and evaluation mechanisms that go beyond attendance or satisfaction scores. High-performing systems define what success looks like and track outcomes over time.
Measurement should capture both organizational value and physician experience. Tangible indicators include retention, leadership bench strength, improvements in clinical operations, and reductions in costly turnover. Equally important are qualitative indicators: physicians reporting increased confidence, improved team communication, more effective leadership behaviors, and stronger alignment with system strategy.
Remaining Flexible and Relevant
Continuous adaptation is essential. Healthcare is dynamic — care models shift, technology advances, regulatory expectations evolve, and organizational priorities change. Programs that remain static quickly lose relevance. Regular review cycles, performance metrics, environmental scanning, and physician input help organizations refine curricula, add new offerings, and sunset outdated ones.
Finally, adaptability means recognizing that physicians are not a monolithic group. Different specialties, roles, and career stages require different developmental pathways. A robust portfolio — leadership intensives, early-career cohorts, skill-specific workshops, advanced leadership development pathways — ensures that programs meet physicians where they are. When programs remain relevant, data-informed, and responsive, they reinforce a culture of growth and demonstrate a sustained commitment to physician success.
References
Edgar L, Hatlak K, Haynes IL, Holmboe ES. Hogan SO, McLean S. The Milestones Guidebook: Competency-Based Medical Education and Milestones Development. Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. 2025. https://www.acgme.org/globalassets/MilestonesGuidebook.pdf .
Holmboe ES, Call S, Ficalora RD. Milestones and competency-based medical education in internal medicine. JAMA Intern Med. 2016;176(11):1601–1602. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2016.5556 .
Collins RT II, Sanford R. The importance of formalized, lifelong physician career development: making the case for a paradigm shift. Acad Med. 2021;96(10):1383–1388. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000004191 .
Cruess RL, Cruess SR, Steinert Y. Supporting professional identity formation. Acad Med. 2021;96(10):1383–1390. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000004191 .
Hosseini S, Allen L, Khalid F, Li D, Stellrecht, et al. Evaluation of continuing professional development for physicians—time for change: a scoping review. Perspect Med Educ. 2023;12(1):198–207. https://doi.org/10.5334/pme.838 .
Kumar S, Clancy B. Retention of physicians and surgeons in rural areas—what works? J Public Health (Oxf). 2021;43(4):e689–e700. https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdaa031 .
De Vries N, Lavreysen O, Boone A, Bouman J, Szemik S, et al. Retaining healthcare workers: a systematic review of strategies for sustaining power in the workplace. Healthcare. 2023;11(13):1887. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11131887 .
Feldheim B. 8 health systems finding success in physician recruitment, retention. American Medical Association. February 9, 2026. https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/physician-health/8-health-systems-finding-success-physician-recruitment .
Rotenstein L, Harry E, Shanafelt T. The early career phase: fostering physician well-being over the career life cycle. Mayo Clin Proc. 2025;100(10):1836–1845. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2025.05.025 .
Naveed M, Sood N, Laverty AM, Rhoads M, Slonim A. The lifecycle of physician leadership: a focus on attributes and career development. Physician Leadership Journal. 2025;12(6):25–33. https://doi.org/10.55834/plj.3533013295 .
Ligibel JA, Awad K, Shanafelt T. Mid-career: fostering physician well-being over the career life cycle. Mayo Clin Proc. 2025; 100(11):2007–2016. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2025.05.026 .